In our world of media, celebrities are constantly struggling to find a balance between their work lives and family lives. This can be very detrimental to a kid if a family member or parent isn’t around as much as they need or should be. Work, especially in such a public light, can be tough to balance, and there are times where you see a person become swallowed by their work and their family is affected and potentially cast aside.

This isn’t always the case though. Jayson Tatum, a professional basketball player in the NBA, is an amazing example of merging these two lives together. Tatum, 24, has a 4-year-old son named Jayson Christopher Tatum Jr. (aka Deuce) and he is heavily involved in his basketball career.

Deuce was born only six months after Tatum was drafted by the Celtics in 2017. Since then, Deuce has been a big part of the Celtics games, always being on the court or by his dad’s side.

Tatum has made it a priority to make sure neither his work or family is forgotten, in a press conference after a 2021 Finals game he said “My mindset was not to sacrifice either, that I was going to be the best father as I could as well as the best basketball player.” He has shown great dedication to both of these things as he’s built an amazing relationship with his son and become a very successful a basketball player. He’s made a finals appearance already and will continue to thrive throughout his career in the NBA.

Being the child of a celebrity, there is a certain risk that comes with living your day-to-day life. You aren’t able to live the same way as a normal kid may be able to because of where they stand in the social class. Tatum has expressed a protective concern over his son’s safety.

In an interview with Bleacher Report where he talked about having his son in the spotlight he said, “Yeah, [it’s] extremely uncomfortable. He didn’t ask for that, I asked for it, by being who I am. Comes with the job. There are a lot of things I gotta think about and worry about as he gets older, you know, that makes me uneasy.” Tatum also talks about thoughts of a security guard for Deuce when he begins to go to school, and it shows a lot about his commitment to ensuring his son’s safety.

A major reason Tatum and his son’s relationship in his life is so good is because of Tatum’s situation when he had Deuce. Later in his post-game interview in 2021 Tatum said, “I think that’s what it is. I just do what’s natural. I’m around him every day. I think being able to go through this journey together, because I was 19 when I got drafted, it’s kind of like we’re growing up together. As he’s gotten older, I’m going through my career, sharing these moments, experiencing this together as we grow up.”

For Tatum and his son to be able to walk through this process together is something truly special to witness. Tatum has provided a great example to other fathers, and especially young fathers who may feel overwhelmed or unsure about how to be the father figure, how to handle fatherhood in the present day.